Sunday 9 March 2014

Sunshine, Tulips and Feline Despots!

Hello again!

Holy daffodils, Batman - two posts in one week? Ooooh yeah.... you got it..... See - you'll be sick of me in no time!

Anyhoos..... I've been playing in that new journal of mine today, remembering to - above all else - have FUN with art. No pressure. No stress. Just fun. I doodle-painted some tulips that my mum brought for me - they're so lovely and colourful that I couldn't resist!



Fun and quick and colourful. The different paper shapes make it more interesting to work in the book - less imposing that a neat block of straight-edged paper!

The second page I painted was based on some photos I took of a lighthouse that mum and I visited the other day. THE SUN WAS OUT!!! Yep - SUN! It was still REALLY cold, but that much sunshine has to be enjoyed to the full. I took a load of photos on my camera to try out the settings and I saved some that came out ok - see if you have a favourite...

This is the one taken on the bog-standard setting -



This one has a slight sepia look to it - 


This is the black and white arty one (allegedly) -


...looks just like one my grandparents took DECADES ago! Nothing's changed!!! This next one's pretty cool - it's a 'vintage' setting so it looks like an old hand-tinted photo -


The colours on those old hand-tinted pictures were always a little bit too vivid, but I REALLY like that! If I had a decent printer I'd have fun printing LOADS of stuff like this!  The last one is on a 'toy camera' setting, so it slightly washes out the colour in the middle and fades on the corners -


The pictures taken of me as a baby all look a bit like this so I kinda like this one too. If all goes well, mum and I will make a trip round some of the sites we like and go MAD with the clickety-click of the camera! Heh heh heh heh.....

So aaaaaaaaaanyway - I decided to paint a fun piccy in that scruffy stitched in journal just because... it's not gonna win any prizes, but as the front of the journal reminds me, it's -


This is the fun result:











If you'd like to know what media I faffed about with, I used

  • Faber Castell Gelatos - peach, cotton candy, pistachio, earl grey, butter scotch, butter cream, chocolate
  • DecoArt Crafter's Acrylic paint - turquoise, white, soft moss
  • Docrafts Artiste acrylic paint - linen
  • Golden Fluid acrylic - sap green, Naples yellow hue, raw umber, cobalt blue
  • Derwent Inktense pencil - #0500 Chilli Red
  • Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze - mellow yellow, saffron
  • Treasure Gold gilding wax - classic
  • Uni Ball Impact 1.0mm gel pens - black, white

As you can probably guess, I had a lot of stuff sitting on my desk just BEGGING to be played with!


When it's all there in front of me I can't help it! I gots ta play!

Meanwhile, the Colonel has continued in his recent 'Caligula' mood, reclining on his foofy blanky dais and issuing demands for nippits (cat biscuits....) and complaining bitterly that he should be denied roasted whole oxen or stacks of freshly cooked quail. He tires quickly of having his trembling, captive shrooz battle gladiator meeces for his mild amusement, and demands belly rubs and tickles from me instead, as it's MUCH more rewarding to stab his pins and needles into my hands, while he purrs outrageously! Here is the little Caesar himself -


.... a LITTLE bit 'Princess And The Pea' there with just THREE wubby blankies and a mere half-dozen cushies. Oh - and his fluffy cuddly 'Nightmare Before Christmas - Zero' plushy. Poor kitty - how he suffers!

Ok, well that's it for now. Hope you enjoyed the photos - please feel free to comment or get in touch. Sending hugs out into the blogosphere! See you soon - Shroo :) xxx

13 comments:

  1. Love all the lighthouse piccys - but my favorite is your drawing. Awesome Rachael! Beautiful tulips too! Love those colours.

    My, but the Colonel has it cushy... I am NOT showing that image to my three felines, lest they get ideas that is the norm. I have but one rolled up towel on my desk that they take turns sleeping it whilst I play in the studio. I am NOT installing pillows.

    Unless it's for MY chair!

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  2. Your journal page is fabulous. You are so very talented :)

    About the Colonel...sheesh...what a pampered kitty. I agree my cats must not see this post. It would definitely give them ideas.

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  3. Oh Colonel but you are beautiful! Reminds me of (and makes me miss) my Rocky. (Who was anything BUT a fighter!) My wee man! I do love black (or tabby) kitty cats. You do look so comfortable on your throne there.

    I love all the pictures - my favourite of the photos is the vintage one - love the colours in that. But your painting beats them all - so gorgeous! Stop posting all your ingredients - you makes my shopping list grow and grow! Mind you... I *do* have a £10 Amazon voucher to spend...

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  4. I really like the slightly faded look of the last photo and I'm a sucker for 'arty' black and white photos but my favourite version of the light house is your painting, love it.
    Gillx

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  5. You have a black cat just like my Jinx! Oh they think they are so entitled don't they. LOL! I think i need to post a pic of Jinx this week! LOVE the picture you made from the lighthouse! Hugs! deb

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  6. What a life the Colonel leads and how lucky is he to have a sensitive, artistic Mom to provide him with Foofy blankets, pillows and nippits. Your art work is amazing and I love your light house paintings ... I was surprised that you used acrylics ... it has a water color look to it. But that is the mastery of the medium, I presume. You and you Mum seem to be finding great joy in life ... that is a blessing.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  7. I love black and white pictures there's just something about them. Oddly enough I was just about to sit down and paint a lighthouse! LOL... Yours is amazing! And yes how that little kitten suffers... LOL... so cute!

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  8. i look forward to your posts , they are so full of information , fun and lovely artworks . You are very versatile . Keep up the good work ! I too love the pictures you painted of the lighthouse ... full of life and attractive to the eye .

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  9. Hello from South Carolina in the USA! I am still making the rounds of the GYB party and find your pretty blog! All of your photos are wonderful! I love the painting of the lighthouse and its whimsical nature. Your cat reminds me of one our family had when I was a young girl. His name was Inky and I remember him fondly.

    I have really enjoyed my visit here today and will now be a follower. I hope you can find a moment to visit my blog if you have not done so already. I haven't had a chance to respond to all the comments yet, but am replying a few at the time. Have a beautiful and blessed week!

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  10. I love your work, and your posts-so keep on writing-lol

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  11. Beautiful work and I am completely jealous of your "stuff to play with".
    Your cat is magnificent, and obviously very humble if he is prepared to slum it with a mere three blankets ;)

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  12. Love the flowers, I do think that your Arty light house looks better than any of those pics...poor poor puss.

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  13. Somehow I missed this one and it was worth going back for! The lighthouse is wonderful but the tulips are absolutely stunning! I'm so glad you had some lovely sunshine. We get far too much here in S. California so I'm more than happy to share with you and the Colonel.

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